COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Norwich University men's swimming & diving team collected six event victories on Saturday afternoon, highlighted by strong showings across the sprint, backstroke, butterfly, distance, and relay events, but fell on the road to Saint Michael's College, 180-104, inside the Ross Sports Center Natatorium.

The Cadets earned individual wins from Adrian Riendeau (Ridgecrest, Calif.), Andrew Clark (Acworth, Ga.), and Kristian Adlianitski (Cheshire, Conn.), along with a relay victory to close the meet.  Four of Norwich's six wins came by decisive margins or tight finishes in the final meters.

Riendeau claimed Norwich's first win of the day with a dominant performance in the 100-yard backstroke, touching in 55.85, nearly three full seconds ahead of Saint Michael's top finisher (58.73).  Clark proceeded to sweep both butterfly events, taking the 200 fly in 2:00.77 with more than five seconds of separation, and later winning the 100 fly in 55.02, finishing over a second clear of the field.

Adlianitski delivered another impressive sprint showing, edging out the Purple Knights in both the 50 free (22.29 to 23.46) and the 100 free (49.32 to 50.02) in a pair of narrow, high-energy finishes.

Norwich capped the afternoon with a first-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay, as Adlianitski, Drew Bylow (Monroe, Mich.), Clark, and Riendeau combined for a 1:30.59, nearly a second and a half ahead of Saint Michael's A team (1:32.12).

Additional runner-up finishes came from Bylow in both the 200-yard freestyle (1:50.46, less than a second behind SMC's Rafael Kowal) and the 200 backstroke (2:03.11), and from John Connor Hallstrom (Bethany, Conn.) in the distance races, placing second in the 1000 free (10:36.79) and 500 free (5:14.33).

Despite the final team score, the Cadets produced a series of competitive swims, particularly in the sprint, fly, and distance events.

"We competed with heart today," said Head Coach Jennifer Cournoyer.  "We were missing some of our teammates and recovering from a busy week, but it is always rewarding to see the team race with passion and intensity.  We did that today.  Our focus now shifts to getting a bit of rest before next weekend's invitational and hoping for some strong times."

LEADERS:

• 200 Yard Medley Relay
  • Gabe Wettig (Ballston Spa, N.Y.), Max Ansell (Red Bank, N.J.), Joshua Kelly (Stowe, Vt.), Noah Lowe (Latham, N.Y.)
    • 3rd, 1:48.78
• 1000 Yard Freestyle
  • John Connor Hallstrom (Bethany, Conn.)
    • 2nd, 10:36.79
• 200 Yard Freestyle
  • Drew Bylow (Monroe, Mich.)
    • 2nd, 1:50.46
• 100 Yard Backstroke
  • Adrian Riendeau (Ridgecrest, Calif.)
    • 1st, 55.85
• 100 Yard Breaststroke
  • Max Ansell
    • 3rd, 1:07.51
• 200 Yard Butterfly
  • Andrew Clark (Acworth, Ga.)
    • 1st, 2:00.77
• 50 Yard Freestyle
  • Kristian Adlianitski (Cheshire, Conn.)
    • 1st, 22.29
• 100 Yard Freestyle
  • Kristian Adlianitski
    • 1st, 49.32
• 200 Yard Backstroke
  • Drew Bylow
    • 2nd, 2:03.11
• 200 Yard Breaststroke
  • Anthony Helmer (Morristown, N.J.)
    • 4th, 2:37.24
• 500 Yard Freestyle
  • John Connor Hallstrom
    • 2nd, 5:14.33
• 100 Yard Butterfly
  • Andrew Clark
    • 1st, 55:02
• 200 Yard IM
  • Gabe Wettig
    • 4th, 2:12.06
• 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
  • Kristian Adlianitski, Drew Bylow, Andrew Clark, Adrian Riendeau
    • 1st, 1:30.59

Norwich will head to SUNY Potsdam next weekend for the two-day North Country Invitational, set to begin Friday, Nov. 21, at 4:00 p.m., and continue through Saturday, Nov. 22.